The main thing that originally drew me to Busch Gardens Williamsburg was the park experience. I grew up going to theme parks with my family. We didn't have munch money, but every summer I could go to a theme park thanks to my Mom and Dad saving up for it. This theme park trip would be just as anticipated as Christmas morning.

The inner workings of a theme park are intriguing to many people. What goes on behind-the-scenes? What makes the park tick? We have team members on property 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, caring for animals, plants, grounds and people. These team members are among the group of people preparing the park for the day during operation or keeping it fresh during our closed periods, preparing for the next operating day.

The sun has set on summer and a curse has descended on Busch Gardens in the form of a song. The park has been transformed into Busch Gardens' Howl-O-Scream. Guests brave enough to venture into this cursed park will navigate through Wendigo Woods, one of five Terror-tories or experience a darkly entertaining show like Monster Stomp on Ripper Row. The curse spreads Sept. 12 and continues weekends through Oct. 26.

Ever wondered what the Roller Coaster Insider Tour is like? Russel, a Thrill Chasers blogger, recently took the tour and shares his experiences in this guest blog post. Read on to find out what a Thrill Chaser thought of this ultimate tour for coaster fanatics.

My name is Lance and I am the Manager of Entertainment Consumer Events at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Our park has always felt like a mosaic, bringing unique cultures and traditions to life in fun new ways. That’s why I am really excited for Star Spangled Nights, our new summertime event that began July 3 and runs through August 10. We have pulled together our favorite patriotic traditions from across the country, each rooted in this country’s multicultural past, to celebrate together like never before.